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Wild looks to continue win streak in Chicago

KARE
6:21 p.m. EDT May 11, 2014

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: The Minnesota Wild celebrate scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks by Nino Niederreiter #22 during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)(Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

CHICAGO - Jonathan Toews just wanted to put the past two games behind him and focus on what lies ahead.

While the Wild appreciated the outcome of the last two games, they are still trying to forget about those first two games in Chicago as they return for Game 5 on Sunday.

"There's going to be times throughout game and times throughout series when you have to forget about it and move on," said Wild forward Zach Parise. "And just like in the first round, we had to forget about the (first two games) and we had to do that (again)."

The Blackhawks had a chance to complete a sweep on the road. Instead, they came home tied 2-2 with the Wild in the Western Conference semifinals.

Toews says the defending champions need to "have a real short memory" and there will be "moments where your stomach drops."

Wild players know about that tension.

"It's only going to get tougher," said Wild center Mikko Koivu. "We need to prepare ourselves for even a bigger game and a tougher game, obviously, in Chicago."

The Blackhawks looked like they were in good shape after taking the first two games at home, but whatever control they had in this series got ripped from their grasp once the series shifted to Minnesota.

The Wild dominated Chicago on their ice - 4-0 in Game 3 and 4-2 in Game 4 Friday.

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: The Minnesota Wild celebrate scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks by Nino Niederreiter #22 during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: (L-R) Matt Cooke #24, Ryan Suter #20 Justin Fontaine, Erik Haula #56 and Jonas Brodin #25 of the Minnesota Wild celebrate a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks by Fontaine during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Matt Cooke #24 of the Minnesota Wild controls the puck as Nick Leddy #8 and Jeremy Morin #11 of the Chicago Blackhawks look on during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Justin Fontaine #14 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Brandon Saad #20 of the Chicago Blackhawks trips on a the stick of Jared Spurgeon #46 of the Minnesota Wild during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Ilya Bryzgalov #30 of the Minnesota Wild is unable to block a shot by Patrick Sharp #10 of the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Kyle Brodziak #21 of the Minnesota Wild controls the puck against Marcus Kruger #16 and Michal Rozsival #32 of the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Mikael Granlund #64 of the Minnesota Wild and Duncan Keith #2 of the Chicago Blackhawks skate after the puck during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Nino Niederreiter #22 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates scoring a goal as Nick Leddy #8 and Michal Rozsival #32 of the Chicago Blackhawks look on during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: The Minnesota Wild celebrate a goal by Jason Pominville #29 as Duncan Keith #2 of the Chicago Blackhawks looks on during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against Charlie Coyle #3 of the Minnesota Wild during the third period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Jared Spurgeon #46 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Nordy, mascot for the Minnesota Wild performs as the Minnesota Wild celebrate a win of Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Chicago Blackhawks on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Mikael Granlund #64 of the Minnesota Wild takes control of the puck against Brandon Saad #20, Marian Hossa #81 and Bryan Bickell #29 of the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Bryan Bickell #29 of the Chicago Blackhawks checks Nino Niederreiter #22 of the Minnesota Wild into the boards during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Ilya Bryzgalov #30 of the Minnesota Wild deflects the puck as teammate Jonas Brodin #25 of the Minnesota Wild stops the progress of Marcus Kruger #16 of the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Erik Haula #56 of the Minnesota Wild an dBrandon Saad #20 of the Chicago Blackhawks skate after the puck during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks stops a shot by Erik Haula #56 of the Minnesota Wild during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Kyle Brodziak #21 of the Minnesota Wild skates after the puck along with Joakim Nordstrom #42 and Michal Rozsival #32 of the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Kyle Brodziak #21 of the Minnesota Wild checks Joakim Nordstrom #42 of the Chicago Blackhawks into the boards during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Michal Handzus #26 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against Erik Haula #56 of the Minnesota Wild during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Clayton Stoner #4 of the Minnesota Wild checks Jeremy Morin #11 of the Chicago Blackhawks into the boards during the first period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

ST PAUL, MN - MAY 9: Nino Niederreiter #22 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates scoring a goal as Michal Rozsival #32 of the Chicago Blackhawks looks on during the second period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 9, 2014 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Blackhawks 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) (Photo: Hannah Foslien Getty Images)

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The Wild have been sparked by play from younger players like forward Nino Niederreiter.

"You feel the competition for sure, but at the end of the day, each one of us, we try to push each other, to make each other better each day," said Niederreiter. "I feel like that's a big part of why we are all successful."

"They've been doing a really great job, and to see the success they are having in the playoffs, they are all really good kids," said Wild forward Dany Heatley. "They work hard and it's fun to be around them."

The frenzied urgency has been evident from veterans like Heatley to younger players like Niederrieter and Erik Haula. It's a maturation process that continues each and every shift as well as each and every game.

"We have to make sure we play the same hockey we play at home on the road, and I feel like that's going to bring us success," Niederreiter said.

The Wild and Blackhawks will face off at 8 p.m. on Sunday night. The game will air on CNBC and there will be a live chat starting at 7:30 p.m. on KARE 11.